With an average of two years of NBA experience on their roster, the Rockets will head to training camp Tuesday with more than the usual work to do.

Coach Kevin McHale will have less than a month to evaluate the hand he has been dealt and how to best play it. There is little that can be considered a certainty.

General manager Daryl Morey said last week that only two players on his 20-man roster are known commodities. That did not include his top free-agent additions, guard Jeremy Lin and center Omer Asik. Of the 20 players heading to McAllen, only two — forward/center Patrick Patterson and forward Chandler Parsons — finished last season in the rotation. Only one, guard Kevin Martin, went through the bulk of last season’s abbreviated training camp.

Finally, they will begin to work through the uncertainty. But after a nearly complete offseason overhaul of the roster, the summer of their reinvent sends them to camp with more questions than answers.

1. Will Jeremy Lin be the Rockets’ star? Finding the balance between Lin looking for his shot and others’ will be an important part of the preseason. He did have a scintillating stretch with the Knicks at an All-Star level. The Knicks had few options at the time with Carmelo Anthony out and Amar’e Stoudemire away from the team at least for the start of Lin’s run. The Rockets similarly have few offensive options and have run the sort of pick-and-rolls that worked for Lin in New York. But he also will face far more defensive attention and pressure than when he first took off.

2. Can Omer Asik be a difference-maker as a starter? His impact defensively was greater statistically than any center in the NBA last season, but that was in a limited role off the bench. He will have to make an important step to be that effective as a full-time starter. The Rockets will need Asik to solidify their defense as a whole, but they also want him to contribute in some ways on the other end, particularly by improving his pass-catching skills when working in pick-and-roll situations with Lin.

3. Will the real Patrick Patterson stand up? As a rookie, Patterson seemed likely to supplant Luis Scola as the starting power forward by now. He has, but not the way the Rockets expected. Battling an ankle injury and offseason surgery, Patterson regressed in his second season. Scola was let go to make salary-cap room for a major trade, particularly a deal for Dwight Howard, and to open minutes for the many power forwards drafted in the past three seasons. Healthy again, Patterson will have a chance to live up to that early promise. The Rockets will need him to — and to show it in the preseason.

4. Where do the rookies fit? The Rockets will have at least four rookies — Donatas Motiejunas, Jeremy Lamb, Royce White and Terrence Jones — vying for spots in the rotation. Lamb could find time as a shooting guard although the addition of Carlos Delfino along with Martin’s return will mean he will not play by default. Motiejunas, Lamb and White primarily play the same position — forward — although each
can play multiple positions. McHale is unlikely to want to rely too heavily on rookies, but as with Parsons last season, someone likely will play early. With a full training camp, a key will be having someone break out of the pack before the season opener at Detroit on Oct. 31.

5. Who will score? Martin is the only player on the roster who has averaged in double figures in his career, and he is coming off a down year in which he struggled with a diminished role. The lack of proven scorers could make him valuable again, but the Rockets will need to find players to step up and use the preseason to build around their strengths.

6. Do the Rockets have a backup point guard? They don’t have one determined, but there will be competition. Toney Douglas and Shaun Livingston are combination guards. Scott Machado is a more traditional point guard, but he is a rookie who was undrafted after leading the nation in assists per game last season.

7. Anyone likely to be a surprise in the preseason? With all the power forwards the Rockets have drafted the past few seasons, a first-round pick in 2011 acquired in a trade, JaJuan Johnson, could battle for playing time at power forward or center.

8. What will constitute a successful preseason? Wins and losses rarely tell the story, but the Rockets would like to get the experimenting out of the way and have a solid rotation playing well by the start of the regular season. The uncertainty could make it a slow process, but they at least can finally get started.

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

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See photos of the team’s offseason moves.

Photo: Jim Prisching / Associated Press

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July 24: The Rockets add center Omer Asik when his former team, the Chicago Bulls, declines to match the Rockets' three-year offer sheet. Asik will sign a three-year, $25.1 million contract with the Rockets.

July 24: The Rockets add center Omer Asik when his former team, the Chicago Bulls, declines to match the Rockets' three-year offer sheet. Asik will sign a three-year, $25.1 million contract with the Rockets.

Photo: Jim Prisching / Associated Press

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July 20: Shooting guard Courtney Lee is dealt to the Boston Celtics as part of a sign-and-trade deal involving the Portland Trail Blazers, with the Rockets receiving forward JaJuan Johnson, guard E'Twaun Moore, forward Sean Williams and a second-round pick from Boston and the draft rights to guard Jon Diebler from Portland. Moore was later waived. less

July 20: Shooting guard Courtney Lee is dealt to the Boston Celtics as part of a sign-and-trade deal involving the Portland Trail Blazers, with the Rockets receiving forward JaJuan Johnson, guard E'Twaun ... more

Photo: Nick de la Torre / Houston Chronicle

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July 19: Former New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin is introduced by the Rockets two days after the Knicks declined to match Houston's three-year offer sheet. Lin signed a three-year, $25.1 million contract with the Rockets. less

July 19: Former New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin is introduced by the Rockets two days after the Knicks declined to match Houston's three-year offer sheet. Lin signed a three-year, $25.1 million contract ... more

Photo: Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle

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July 13: The Rockets waive forward Luis Scola, using the amnesty clause. Scola was claimed off waivers by the Phoenix Suns.

July 13: The Rockets waive forward Luis Scola, using the amnesty clause. Scola was claimed off waivers by the Phoenix Suns.

Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle

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July 11: Center Marcus Camby is shipped to the New York Knicks in a sign-and-trade deal that netted the Rockets guard Toney Douglas, centers Josh Harrelson and Jerome Jordan and two future second-round draft picks. Jordan was later waived. less

July 11: Center Marcus Camby is shipped to the New York Knicks in a sign-and-trade deal that netted the Rockets guard Toney Douglas, centers Josh Harrelson and Jerome Jordan and two future second-round draft ... more

Photo: James Nielsen / Chronicle

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July 11: Point guard Kyle Lowry is traded to the Toronto Raptors for a future first-round lottery pick and forward Gary Forbes.

July 11: Point guard Kyle Lowry is traded to the Toronto Raptors for a future first-round lottery pick and forward Gary Forbes.

Photo: Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle

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July 5: Point guard Goran Dragic agrees to a four-year contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Phoenix Suns, returning to his former team after he and the Rockets cannot come to terms on a deal.

July 5: Point guard Goran Dragic agrees to a four-year contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Phoenix Suns, returning to his former team after he and the Rockets cannot come to terms on a deal.

Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle

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June 28: The Rockets draft (from left) Iowa State forward Royce White, Kentucky forward Terrence Jones and Connecticut guard Jeremy Lamb in the first round of the 2012 draft. Lamb was selected No. 12 overall, White was 16th, and Jones was 18th. less

June 27: Center Samuel Dalembert is traded along with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2012 draft to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for the No. 12 overall pick and forwards Jon Brockman and Jon Leuer and point guard Shaun Livingston. Leuer was later waived. less

June 27: Center Samuel Dalembert is traded along with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2012 draft to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for the No. 12 overall pick and forwards Jon Brockman and Jon Leuer and point ... more

Photo: Michael Paulsen / Houston Chronicle

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June 26: The Rockets trade forward Chase Budinger and the draft rights to Israeli forward Lior Eliyahu to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for the No. 18 overall pick in the 2012 draft.

June 26: The Rockets trade forward Chase Budinger and the draft rights to Israeli forward Lior Eliyahu to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for the No. 18 overall pick in the 2012 draft.